Bilateral otosyphilis in a patient with HIV infection.

Otosyphilis is a rare but important cause of sensorineural hearing loss and dizziness, because this hearing loss can be reversed by early diagnosis and aggressive treatment. Moreover, HIV may alter the course of otosyphilis and hasten the development of otosyphilis by reducing host cellular immunity. We report the case of a 35-year-old HIV-infected patient with bilateral fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss and bilateral total vestibular loss caused by otosyphilis. We include a discussion of the relationship between otosyphilis and HIV infection.